Hodag harriers face uphill climb at SPASH

STEVENS POINT — Hot conditions, a tough course and a big field made for a tough day last Saturday for the Rhinelander High School cross country team in Stevens Point.

The Hodag boys were the best of the small schools, but finished eighth overall, in the 19-team SPASH Invite at Standing Rocks Park while the Hodag girls, with three starters out the lineup due to injury finished 15th. 

Saturday’s event was hosted by perennial Division 1 power Stevens Point and featured several other D1 programs. That, coupled with sunshine and a race-time temperature near 80 degrees, made for a difficult race. Times were mainly slower for the team than they were five days prior at the Marshfield Invite.

“It was a mental challenge. This is not an easy course,” Hodag coach M.J. Laggis said. “There’s just a lot of up and down, a lot of rollers, and a lot of really fantastically fun parts of the course, but it’s a difficult one. It’s a challenging one. So really good test for us today on a hot day.”

Results at the top of the running order were the same as they have been all year for the Hodags. Avrom Barr finished strong over the last quarter mile to earn a top-10 finish, placing eighth in a field of 107 runners. He covered the 5-kilometer course in 16 minutes, 53.7 seconds.

“Avrom, you know, got in that lead pack and hung right there, and he was with just some really, really, classy runners up there battling. He just really looks strong,” Laggis said.

The Hodag girls were once again paced by Macy Myers, who broke 21 minutes for the third time this season and finished 19th overall with a time of 20:59.8.

“Macy looked really, really strong today. I can’t say enough about how she shows poise and control and just she gets where she is,” Laggis said. “She’s so calm out there. You know, you see runners run that just look like they’re just leaving everything there and distressed. And she is just so relaxed and fluid and about her business, and really nice to see.”

There was a bit of mixing among the top seven for the Hodag boys on Saturday, sophomore Michael Brunette was the Hodags’ No. 2 runner for the first time this season, taking 47th overall (19:18.0). He was followed by Jackson Weinzatl (51st, 19:31.1), Grant Gremban (74th, 20:35.4), Matthew Wood (76th, 20:35.4), Jonathan Campbell (80th, 20:46.9) and Wyatt Crowell (93rd, 21:53.5).

“We’re gaining more depth on the boys’ side,” Laggis noted. “We’re getting better. You know, you’re watching our seven, six, five, four runners creep up and get better. Mikey has not been a top two (finisher on the team). Today he was a top two. I think we’re getting that competitive vibe going and just the kind of team that’s going to really battle people.”

Junior Kara Monk was Rhinelander’s second runner on the girls’ side, placing 50th overall (23:10.9). Rhinelander’s remaining runners were Grace Cornelius (115th, 29:30.3), Morgan Cahee (118th, 30:27.1), Emily Schiek (120th, 31:21.0) and Adeline Olson (122nd, 38:23.9). Junior Gabby Wanta (knee), sophomore Gretchen Fiebke (shin) and freshman Noelle Mayo (ankle) were all scratched from the lineup due to injury. 

“I thought Kara Monk, started kind of quietly and then just kept climbing and really had a nice race as well,” Laggis said. “We’re down some girls today. We didn’t have some kids in the lineup, obviously, but I give Morgan Cahee a lot of credit. Gracie and Emily ran varsity and I just thought they really gave a great effort today, and I’m really proud of that.”

Stevens Point, led by senior Cooper Erickson (15:52.8), had the top three finishers in the boys’ race and five of the top 10 overall. Appleton North won the girls’ division, led by Eva Busch (18:35.9), who was the first girl across the finish line. 

The Hodags will face another strong test with a deep field this coming Saturday as they head to Wausau to take part in the 69th annual Bill Smiley Invitational. Rhinelander will be one of 26 teams competing in the Division 1 race. 

“I really like these venues because I think the only way to stretch yourself and get better is to go run against better competition,” Laggis said. “So if you want to know what a fast team looks like, compete against this SPASH Panthers or come and compete some of these teams that are just lights out good. So what a great opportunity for us today, and we’ll get the same next Saturday.”

In the interest of full disclosure, the River News notes that the author of this story has a family member who is an athlete on the RHS cross country team. 

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].